Gun value question

bigben

bigben

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My buddy comes over the other day and shows me this old 303 that was made in 1914 He ask me what it is worth I told him I don t know so without further due I am asking anyone that is familiar with this old gun and what s is value As far as I can see it is in great shape for a gun that was produced in 1914 the wood is beautiful and the blueing on the barrel is untouched it has the number 88852 stamped all on it and where ever I find it the number it seems to be on different parts of the rifle . It has the long range sights on it and a nose cap on er but does not seem to have the bayonet assembly that most 303 have it seems to be a 10 shot clip on it and its a very nice piece any light on the value would be much appreciated thanxs Here are some pics thanks











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Looks to be a typical sported SMLE. If it were in original, excellent, never rebuilt condition, it would have serious value. As is, might be worth a couple of hundred dollars as a hunting rifle.
 
If you had a table at a gun show, you could try to get $150 for it. But at every gun show I can think of, I've seen the vendors taking home such rifles, that they couldn't get $100 for.
Things may be different in the east, but this is what I see in BC.
 
Post a picture of the front end of the rifle. You mentioned a "nosecap" so lets see what it is like.

That is an early Number 1 Mark III Short Magazine Lee Enfield. With not only the volley sights, but also a WINDAGE ADJUSTABLE rear sight, it is an excellent candidate for a restoration if the barrel is intact. Realistically, I would put this one in the $200 range. A set of volley sights alone on E-Bay goes for $65-$75 and the adjustable rear sight is not rare but it is scarce and not common. Is the front volley sight there on the forestock, as it looks like the magazine cut-off is missing and later wood has been substituted as the slot for the magazine cut-off is covered? If the front volley sight is missing, then the $150 range is closer to the value. It also has a later model cocking piece, so does the bolt serial number match the rifle serial number? If not, that will drive the price lower too.
 
I have found out one thing, I really have to update my opinions on values of cut down Lee Enfields.
After reading the post by Buffdog above, who pointed out all the different properties an old Enfield can have, I realized that many of us are over looking a lot. In other words, there have certainly been some sleepers that have been good buys for some one at the local gun shows!
I want to add to this, but do not want to hijack the thread, so will start a new one.
 
The forend (which has been cut back) is later than the rifle. Note that there is no provision for the magazine cut off. Looking at a full length photo of the rifle, the front long range (volley) sight was never fitted. The windage adjustable rear sight may or may not still be functional, often these were staked.
At any rate, it would be an interesting restoration project, but not an easy one, from the standpoint of restoring it correctly to proper 1914 configuration.
It would be easier to restore it as a generic SMLE, using III* parts.
 
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That top rear handguard alone is worth $30-$35 if in good condition. Bore condition is very important when considering a restoration project. While the rear sight is "standard" for a 1914 rifle, the round knob on the right side indicates that it an early type that has windage adjustments. This a No.1 Mk. III rifle, and from 1916 onwards, this is one of the parts eliminated or modified to increase production on the No.1 Mk.III * rifles.
 
That is definitely an early-model sight.

Actually, it is the SECOND rear sight for the Short rifle: the Mark Is had a lovely windage-adjustable sight with Indian water-buffalo horn buttons. This sight was dropped when the Mark III rifle went into production in January, 1907.

The NEW sight was the one on this rifle, with the thumbscrew-adjustable windage (actually DRIFT) scale.

THIS sight was dropped and the adjustable cap replaced by a non-adjustable one in the 1915/16 period. Factories changed over as older sights fell out of stock. London Small Arms, the smallest maker, kept the early sight the longest, NRF never made it at all.

This rifle has the later-type Cocking Piece and also the later type of Firing Pin Retaining Screw. I would think, given that the Bolt matches very nicely, that it has been through FTR at some time, likely shortly after the Great War. Checking the BARREL DATE will tell you when this was. Barrel Date is 2 figures on the LEFT side of the Chamber at 10 o'clock. You can see it when the Rear Handguard is removed.

Hope this helps.

Nice rifle!
 
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